At a parent meeting at HD Ningbo School early this year, a mother told me: “My child is in Grade 7 now; he said he often goes to the school auditorium, but has never been on stage to receive an award.”The school often holds award ceremonies in the auditorium, and this student has received honors such as the “Courage Award.” But those awards are not presented on stage.

This incident suddenly made me realize that somehow we seem to have told him which awards truly matter, or subtly, we are aligning the “visibility standard” to shape how children perceive their own worth and what it means to be recognized for growth.However, the essence of education should be to help every child see their unique value, allowing each life to find its own way to flourish. Yet in reality, have we – perhaps unintentionally – confined the image of success within a uniform standard?Then, how can our education truly see every child and help every child see themselves? How can every life flourish – becoming the person they are meant to become? All these reflections point to one essential question: In the age of AI, what kind of school are we ultimately trying to build?

A school where every child is seen, and truly sees themselves

In today’s schools, the main focus is often on academic achievement and admission results, while genuine growth is frequently overlooked. Yet from the broader perspective of life, one’s destiny is not determined by a series of exams, nor is life a zero-sum competition. In fact, it is precisely human diversity that makes our world so vibrant. Every child, every individual, is a unique being.Take the example of HD and HT primary schools: in every end-of-term stage play, each child has a role, their own script, and their own limitations. The number of lines or the size of the part doesn’t matter – what matters is whether the child enjoys being a part of the show, whether they find joy and meaning in the process.So I hope that in our schools, every child can shine in their own way; every dream can be seen, and every quiet voice can be heard.The relation of being seen and seeing oneself is permission, acceptance, and a sense of safety – all rooted in teachers’ true feedback that helps each child discover what they love and the real efforts to protect and inspire their intrinsic motivation as they explore and set goals.Only in this way can we truly respond to the real needs of education.Only in this way can our students, in the age of AI, recognize the enduring value of being human – finding their inner compass, and use it to navigate the world full of uncertainties.

A school to empower every life to thrive

“Diligence is the path up the mountain of knowledge; and hardworking is the boat to cross the endless sea of learning.”In traditional Chinese thought, learning is meant to be bitter – you suffer first, and only then comes success. Indeed, for rather a long time until our generation, this belief was once our greatest source of motivation.

But today’s children are different. They live in an era of material abundance. They no longer need education merely as a means to change their life. As a result, “Why should I learn?” has become one of the biggest puzzles troubling young people today.They ask candidly:“I am just not good at Math, is that ok?”“I’m not interested in science or PE – is that wrong?”“Even if I get into a top university, I might still struggle to find a good job – so why bother working so hard?”These are not just doubts about schooling – they are existential questions: Why am I living this way? What is the meaning of my life?

As AI continues to transform education and knowledge becomes accessible everywhere, educators are left wondering: what is the true purpose of schools today?I believe Positive Education offers an opportunity – perhaps the direction – for the future of learning.The core of Positive Education lies in cultivating students’ positive psychological traits and creating a dual-helix growth model that integrates both academic achievement and personal well-being.As a school, building a solid academic foundation for our students has always been our bottom line.

Beyond it, we set high expectations for every learner. These high standards are not merely about getting the right answers or achieving top scores, but about how students internalize and utilize what they’ve learned – across cultures, languages, and disciplines – so that knowledge becomes applicable and meaningful in solving real-world, complex problems. At the same time, we place great emphasis on students’ self-awareness, well-being, and intrinsic motivation. Only when they dare to face their own hearts will they find the deeper drive to learn, and passionate about what they learn.At HD and HT Schools, the core goal of Positive Education is to “empower every life to flourish.” We not only hope that our students achieve lifelong well-being, but also that they learn to enjoy the process of growth – and the joy of learning itself.

In an era when standardized education cannot meet the needs of diverse learners, we urgently need to build a more supportive and inclusive educational ecosystem in our schools.In this ecosystem, students should no longer be trapped in endless competition. They should feel a sense of achievement in what they’re good at and passionate for, learn to accept their temporary weaknesses, and gradually find their intrinsic motivation.Teachers can transcend the limits of being mere “knowledge transmitters” or “service providers,” rediscover the essence of nurturing people, so they can unleash their creativity and have feel more fulfilled and meaningful as teachers.Parents can finally slow down a bit to appreciate their child’s authenticity and gifts, enjoy joy, rewarding moments.When these changes take place, the school will no longer be a cold “exam factory,” but a warm, loving community.For HD and HT Schools, our mission is to accompany every life as it grows – not to defeat others or become someone else, but to embark on one’s own hero’s journey and become a better version of oneself.

A school that looks to the future

The future is already here – and we are destined to build a future-oriented school to cultivate globally fluent Chinese who lead, innovate and impact.There are many definitions of what it means to be a “future-oriented school.” To me, it means exploring how education and technology can be deeply integrated – how AI can serve as a tool to empower lifelong learning for everyone. Because I firmly believe that even in the age of AI, humans remain the protagonists.No matter how technology evolves or how learning methods change, real learning will always depend on real human interaction. Education is about helping students connect their learning journey with real life together. AI can help us design the perfect plan, but it can never replace the human capacity to solve authentic, complex problems through collaboration, turning knowledge into true creativity.Therefore, a future-oriented school is not one that simply teaches students how to use AI tools — but one that teaches them to think critically, create boldly, lead wisely, and learn independently.It should help them face a complex world with empathy and curiosity, ask meaningful questions, and use AI as a tool for creative problem-solving – eventually making the world a better place.Of course, all of this begins with children’s physical and mental well-being.Ultimately, what we aim to build is a “guiding space” to get our students well-prepared for the future. By providing personalized growth pathways and nurturing them to tackle real-world problems, we are just accompanying them to embark on their own hero’s journey. I hope that every student who graduates from HD and HT Schools will live with ease, grow freely, and flourish abundantly.This VITALITY – the irreplaceable energy and strength of life itself – is something no AI will ever replicate. And that, truly, is the kind of education and school we aspire to create.

By Sun Tao（Chairman of Elite K12 Education Group）